Maus
The Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus (ordnance inventory designation: Sd.Kfz. 205) was a German super-heavy tank; known to be the heaviest armored fighting vehicle ever built, as well as the strongest sensha-dō-legal tank with anti-tank capability (The most destructive firepower belongs to Karl with 600mm Mortar) in the Girls und Panzer series. It first appeared in Episode 11. History The history of the development of the Maus started as early as 1937. The DW 2 (DW = Durchbruchswagen; "breakthrough tank/vehicle) was built by Henschel. This tank also became the earliest ancestor of the soon-to-be Tiger tank. In early 1942, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, the designer for the earlier Porsche Tiger, shown to Hitler the design for the VK 100.01 (P); also known as Porsche Typ 205, which he subsequently approved it and ordered production as soon as possible. It is a large and heavily-armored tank with a huge, central mounted turret armed with either a 105 or 128 mm anti-tank gun. There are also subsequent designs, like a design for a 168-ton tank, which a larger, forward mounting turret than of the 100-ton. During that time, Hitler had insisted that the tank must be equipped with a planned 150 mm main gun but didn't make it happen by the Army as it will affect the reliability of the vehicle. In May 1943, the configuration and design for the Maus''' was approved for prototype production. Its name changed many times during development and testing, from '''Mammut (Mammoth), then Mäuschen (Little Mouse) and finally, Maus (Mouse) in February 1943. The project proceeded slowly, and only two prototypes (designated respectively V1 and V2), slightly different from one another, were completed before July 1944, when the factories involved were ordered to stop all work. After the war's end both vehicles were captured by the Soviet Army, and the hull of V1 was mated to the turret of V2 to form an operable vehicle for further testing. After that was completed, the vehicle was left in the care of the Kubinka Tank Museum, where it resides to this day. In Girls und Panzer Kuromorimine Girls Academy deployed a Maus commanded by the Maus Commander in the city of the battlefield for the finals against Ooarai Girls Academy, where the Ooarai teams were trying to retreat to in order to gain an environmental advantage against Kuromorimine, but was led to this trap by a Panzer III tank. Maus was acknowledged to be the heaviest tank in history by other overall commanders Darjeeling and Katyusha, who were viewing the match. The Maus greatly overwhelmed the Ooarai tanks during the initial confrontation. When it showed itself in front of them, Rabbit Team initially mistook it as an automated wall, but was shocked at how large it was afterwards. It advanced on the Ooarai tanks, taking out Hippo Team's StuG III, Mallard Team's Char B1 bis and also knocked Turtle Team's Hetzer backwards, giving immense power even with missed shots. Nothing the Ooarai girls did could do any damage to the Maus tank, since all shells shot at it were completely deflected due to the heavy armour. Later, Miho came up with a plan involving the combined effort of all remaining Ooarai tanks, thanks to Saori's unexpected expression of the Maus. First: The Hetzer charged at it and used its sloped hull to lift the Maus, immobilizing it. (Hetzer initially survived the impact as the interior of sensha-dō tanks are coated with carbon nanotubes.) Second: Rabbit Team's M3 Lee and Leopon's Tiger (P) distracted the Maus by firing at it from the side prompting the super-heavy tank to rotate its turret. Third : Duck Team charged towards it with their Type 89B, using the Hetzer as a ramp to drive onto the Maus' hull and jamming its turret in a sideways position, preventing it from turning. Fourth : Anglerfish Team moved their Panzer IV to the hill beside Maus and shot its weak spot : The engine's air intakes. However, the heavy weight of the Maus heavily damaged the Hetzer and knocked it out a few minutes later. Trivia * The Maus is the heaviest tank in the anime series (weighing over 188 metric tons), the turret alone weighing more than a Panther. This tank also carried the largest caliber anti-tank gun (Along with Jagdtiger) in the series. * The Maus is probably the strongest Federation-legal tank in the Sensha-Dō Tournament, since the rules only allow tanks designed during World War II to participate. ** Teamwork is required to take it out (the tactic may differs for each School, ranging from the school's battle style, tank's weaponry, and number of tanks used) * In the anime, the Maus was possibly introduced and used for the first time in the National Sensha-Do Tournament by Kuromorimine Girls Academy during the Finals against Ooarai Girls Academy. ** Miho Nishizumi wasn't aware that Kuromorimine had an operational Maus, as demonstrated when she was analyzing Kuromorimine's tank formation. ** Both Katyusha and Darjeeling were shocked when the Maus appeared, making it very likely that it was being used for the first time. * Due to its mass, firepower and armour, the Maus was the tank that took down the most Ooarai School tanks in the tournament finals. It knocked out 3 tanks on its own (Hippo team, Mallard Team and the Turtle Team). * The only real Maus now rests in Kubinka Tank Museum, beside the Karl-Gerät 040. * On the mantlet of the tank turret there are two guns (the main KwK 44 L/55 and the second KwK 40), but only the main gun is used in the match. * Alongside the T28, the Maus is the only tank that didn't take part in any action in real life but see action in the Anime. Gallery More Information about Maus *Maus *Maus specifications *Maus in the official anime (japanese) Category:Tanks Category:German Tanks Category:Super Heavy Tanks Category:Kuromorimine Girls' High School Category:TemporaryCategory